Two thirds of young UK men have experienced poor mental health

Two thirds of men under 25 in the UK have experienced poor mental health, with fewer than half of these seeking professional support to help them manage their wellbeing, according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 Brits, conducted by Benenden Health, also highlighted the current epidemic of poor mental health within the nation’s young men, with only one in ten 16-24 year olds rating their current mental health as excellent, whilst a quarter say their mental wellbeing is poor or very poor.

Whilst the current challenge is a major concern for the nation, it is not an isolated instance, with as many as 69% of 16-24 year old men revealing that they have experienced poor mental health at some point in their lives. More than half of these reported managing their wellbeing themselves rather than accessing support.

Whilst most young males in the UK have experienced poor mental health, only a third are aware of their triggers and know what to do to manage their wellbeing.

As a result of its findings, Benenden Health is calling on men in the UK to ‘check in’ on their mental health, encouraging individuals to identify their triggers, understand those of their family and friends and seek appropriate support when life’s challenges take hold.

The call comes as part of the mutual’s ‘Time for a check in’ campaign, launched last month in partnership with Channel 4.

Having spoken about his own mental health experiences as part of the campaign, Roman Kemp, said: “I truly believe that we need to start talking more about mental health with young boys from the day that they start at school. We need to open up this conversation and help men recognise that it is normal to have down days but when this happens, it is also important that you speak to someone about it. Knowing your triggers and those of others can really help you check in on your mental health when things may get difficult.

“Every single day, when we engage in conversation with friends, family or colleagues, often the first thing we will ask is ‘are you ok?’, however we often then glaze over the answer rather than taking time to hear the response. In reality, this is the most important question that you can ask a friend and we need to take more time to listen to the answer.”

Cheryl Lythgoe, Matron at Benenden Health, added: “It is no secret that mental health challenges affect a significant number of us and is especially the case for a huge number of men in the UK.

“It is easy to sweep poor mental wellbeing under the carpet, but by identifying what the leading triggers of our poor mental health are - and knowing those of our family and friends – we can check in more regularly and appropriately, whilst also making it clear that mental health challenges are nothing unusual and needn’t be tackled alone.”

Benenden Health is on a mission to get everybody talking about and checking in with their health more. Through a Benenden Health membership, individuals can join 820,000+ others who are already checking in with their health through access to physical and mental health services, including 24/7 GP and Mental Health helpline, quick access to diagnosis and treatment and a whole lot more.

For more information about Benenden Health, go to: www.benenden.co.uk/time-for-a-check-in/

ENDS

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Notes to editors
The research was conducted by Censuswide, with 2,006 adults in UK between 14.10.2022 – 17.10.2022.

Through their ‘Time for a check in’ campaign, Benenden Health and Channel 4 are on a mission to get everybody talking about and checking in with their health more, with the ultimate aim of improving the nation’s health.

With a Benenden Health membership, individuals can join 820,000+ other members who are already checking in with their health, with access to a GP 24/7, getting back on their feet with Physiotherapy, and taking the time to have that much needed conversation with a dedicated 24/7 Mental Health Helpline.

Benenden Health is a not-for-profit organisation, founded in 1905 with the purpose of people joining together to help pay for medical care. It is one of the UK’s longest serving and most respected mutual healthcare societies, offering an affordable alternative to health insurance to more than 820,000 members. Further data from the survey is available on request.